One of my earliest remembrances is of my parents in the Sunday morning assembly at the old Houston and Pease congregation in Vernon, Texas, singing the hymn, "I Love To Tell The Story." I had not yet begun the first grade, but in my mind's ear I can still hear my mother's beautiful voice and the deep bass of my father as the entire membership it seems made "the rafters ring" with enthusiastic conviction and harmonic zeal. Indeed, those were times when members of the Lord's church not only knew the Bible well, but we also realized the importance of singing those great Bible themes with feeling and joy. There was a very real sense when everyone knew that the Bible was God's authoritative Word. From Don the auto mechanic, Ray the barber, Mr. McCord the school principal, and sister Byers, a Bible school teacher--each had a firm resolve of knowing that the Bible was our pattern as it revealed to us the Christ in all His glory, and it was our sure guide from here to eternity.

Yet, today there are many who no longer know anything for sure. Their faith has been robbed and pillaged by the agnostic touting of select teachers and preachers. The ancient landmarks have been buried beneath the blowing sand of compromise--both with the world and Protestant churches. The banner of Christ in too many congregations has been replaced with the banner of human theology and skeptical philosophy to the extent that so many among us have forgotten who we are, where we have come from, and even now, where we are going.

As I was recently singing the hymn, "I Love To Tell The Story," I was struck by the fact that there are many among us today who could no longer sing this song. Too many Bible professors in "our" schools of preaching and in our universities no longer believe in objective truth; many preachers no longer believe that the Bible is our pattern and our guide; and too many Bible teachers would rather teach a fabricated moral lesson instead of the Bible itself. There has been a subtle yet forceful shift in our emphasis whereupon we now give much more time and attention to teaching about the Bible than actually teaching the Bible--Book, Chapter, and Verse. As a result, the heady foam of agnostic and modernistic teachings flowing from the pen and classroom bilge of such so called Bible professors as Andre Resner whose infamous essay, "Christmas at Matthew's House," will continue to be a fulfillment of Paul's prophetic warning to the young preacher Timothy: "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned aside unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:4).

One of the great dangers of such a theological view is that it diminishes the need for evangelism. In fact the theory of the "new hermeneutic" is in a very real sense a death-knell to true evangelism of the old Jerusalem variety. I wish that all young preachers and students of preaching would pay steady attention to the inspired scholarship of Paul and to the clear New Testament teachings of Jesus Christ rather than to the cute and fashionable sophistry that is now being passed off as cutting edge Biblical scholarship.

Finally, those who have become drunken on the tempting red wine of modernism and liberalism will not sing about the Jesus of the Bible as is described in the hymn, "I Love To Tell The Story," in that they reject Him; THEY MUST NOT sing such a song describing our knowing the Word as our pattern and guide when they refuse to believe it themselves.

Friends, may we endeavor to keep our eyes pointed home-ward as our hearts are directed heaven-ward by God's inspired, and inerrant Word. May we, with surety of faith, take the Word to others as we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a world that is truly lost. And may we, with great resolve and knowledgeable enthusiasm, continue to sing those great hymns that some among us can no longer sing:

I Love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love, I love to tell the story, Because I know 'tis True; It satisfies my longings As nothing else can do!

As our mailing list continues to grow, so does our cost in postage. We have reduced our costs as much as possible. However, we are still looking for ways to cut even more.

Beginning this week, we will mail the bulletin in two separate lists. Those addresses within 100 miles of Corinth will be mailed every week. Those outside 100 miles will be mailed every two weeks. No one will miss a bulletin, it will just be mailed every other week. IF you prefer to receive yours every week, let us know and we'll keep you on the weekly list.

Another option is to receive the bulletin via EMAIL every Wednesday. This will remove you from receiving the paper copy. All you need is "acrobat reader" in order to view it (it is free). Send us your e-address and help us save money.

If you do not wish to receive the bulletin, we'll remove you from the list.

LET US HEAR FROM YOU SOON!

Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men in the world, gave away more than 350 million dollars! His goal was to enrich the lives of others. Carnegie once said, "No man becomes rich unless he enriches others."

What do you think about this philosophy? Is it accurate? Carnegie could have been reading Luke 6:38: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

I can just hear someone saying, "If I had his money I would...." What we need to realize is that we do not have to have the wealth of a Carnegie to enrich the lives of others! Even if you have little monetarily (most of us are rich), you can enrich the lives of others and be enriched yourself!

Besides, the greatest ways of enriching others aren't monetary anyway. The question is, "What are you doing with what you have?" Try it, you'll like it!

--Dwight Fuqua

REQUEST FOR PRAYER: Neal Tharp asked for prayer last Sunday that he would be forgiven of his sins, that he might be the right example for others and to be more faithful in every area of his life. We commend him for his dedication to live a Christian life.

GOSPEL MEETING: Our Gospel meeting with David Paden ended last Friday. There were eight great lessons presented. We pray that everyone will apply the things they heard to their lives. Video and audio tapes are available for FREE.

MEN'S BREAKFAST: Sat., March 10, 8 a.m. at Shoney's.

FOOD ITEM: Shortening

r SHUT-INS: Pauline Irvin, Nellie Wallace, Mary Dexter, Annie Nauman, Faye Jackson, Clydie Morrow, Frances Massengill, Doug Kimbrough, Sula Perry, Harry Prater, Lucille Leatherwood, Dorothy Johnson.

FREE VHS VIDEO tapes of sermons by Garland Robinson. 75 tapes are available.

TAPE 72: "Water Baptism" #1, #2, #3, "Questions & Answers," "Excuses, Excuses" #1, #2, "The Way of Christ," Questions & Answers," "Alive But Dead."

FREE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES: Enroll and study God's Word with us.